Electrical connectors of the type having a C-shaped body member having converging channels and a complementary wedge member have been known conventionally for many years and are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,801,777; 4,415,222; 4,600,264; and 5,006,081. Basically, two uninsulated conductors are electrically and mechanically connected by being pressed into and against interior curved surfaces or channels provided in a C-shaped body member by a wedge being driven longitudinally into the body member between the conductors. These known wedge connectors have been successfully used in the power utility industry for large diameter cable where the C-members are massive enough to exert a resilient compressive force against the cable trapped in the channels by the wedge. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,081 such a C-shaped wedge connector is disclosed for use with somewhat smaller diameter wire, and in one embodiment the wedge is stamped and formed from sheet metal such as brass while in another the wedge is solid.
Electrical stirrup connectors are also known in the industry. The stirrup connectors are used to connect tap wires from the energized electrical transmission line of high voltage to a transformer or other piece of equipment, form a branch line, or provide other suitable connections. These connectors obviate connecting directly to transmission lines and thereby preclude damaging them as a result of an arc which frequently occurs between the transmission lines and the connection thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,974 discloses such a connector. This stirrup connector has a C-shape and is configured to be easily installed on the transmission line.
Traditional bolted dead end termination members are also known in the industry. These devices are placed at the end of the transmission lines to secure the transmission lines to a utility pool or insulator. In order to be effective these members must be able to withstand significant forces without failure. The bolted dead end members known in the industry have numerous pieces and are difficult to install on the line.
It is therefore important to provide a dead end termination member which is reliable under load and is easy to install in the field. It would be beneficial it the dead end termination member also had adequate electrical characteristics to allow the member to act as an electrical connector (in applications where a stirrup or the like is required) as well as a mechanical strain clamp.